1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to filtration and purification of fluids, and more particularly, concerns a purifier for filtering and purifying fluids such as water used for bathing or showering to remove unwanted chemicals and contaminants (e.g., chlorine, THMs, and many other chemicals) typically found in bath/shower water. Such unwanted chemicals and contaminants may have unpleasant odors, may cause skin and hair irritation and even may be a health hazard to a person taking a bath or a shower.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typically, conventional filtering devices comprise a pressure vessel having a bowl, filtering/purifying material housed in the bowl, a cover for closing the bowl, and a clamp, such as a V-clamp, to hold the cover to the bowl. In place of the clamp, it is known to use brackets, or nuts and bolts, or threading to secure the cover to the bowl.
In addition to being somewhat time consuming, closing such filtering devices using clamps, or brackets, or nuts and bolts, or threading is a fairly cumbersome and uncertain task. Further, when threading is used, there is a risk of the threading seizing-up or being stripped.
When not mounted on a surface such as a wall or a floor, some conventional filtering devices have a tendency to tip over and to wobble if placed on a non-level surface.
Conventional filtering devices have been used in an effort to filter bath/shower water, which typically contains unwanted chemicals and contaminants (e.g., chlorine, THMs, and many other chemicals). Such contaminants are a problem to bathers with skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema, and dry skin. Even bathers that do not suffer from such skin problems may be adversely affected by absorption through their skin of unwanted chemicals and contaminants contained in typical bath/shower water. This is especially so for those bathers who soak in a hot water-filled tub for an extended period, such as an hour or two, to relax, as is customary in Japanese culture. Further, people have noted harsh effects on their hair, and people with blonde hair are faced with the possible problem of their hair turning green when washing their hair in water containing chlorine.
There are existing shower filters which use activated charcoal or brass filings in an effort to filter and reduce these problems in bath/shower water. However, these existing shower filters are not very effective and have relatively low capacity in reducing unwanted chemicals and contaminants found in bath/shower water.
A common type of shower filter comprises a small filtering device which is inserted in series between the pipe feeding the shower head and the shower head. Due to being located on the end of the pipe feeding the shower head between the pipe feeding the shower head and the shower head, the size, capacity, and effectiveness of the shower filter is further limited.
It is an object of the invention is to provide a purifier that is easy to open and close to facilitate replacing the purifying element contained therein when necessary.
It is another object to provide a purifier that rests in a secure, stable, non-wobbling manner on level surfaces and even on non-level surfaces.
It is another object to provide a purifier that may be easily mounted on a surface, when desired.
Another object of the invention to provide a purifier for removing unwanted chemicals and contaminants (e.g., chlorine, THMs and many other chemicals) found in bath/shower water.
These and other objects are accomplished by providing the inventive purifier as described below.
The inventive purifier for filtering and purifying a fluid comprises a pressure vessel for holding a purifying element for filtering and purifying the fluid. The pressure vessel has inlet and outlet means for introducing the fluid into the pressure vessel and for removing the fluid from the pressure vessel. The pressure vessel includes a housing having a first opening and a second opening formed therein.
A first end cap closes the first opening in the housing of the pressure vessel, and sealing means located between the first end cap and the housing of the pressure vessel seal between the first end cap and the housing.
Securing means secure the first end cap to the housing when desired, and the securing means include a first yoke extending between the housing and the first end cap. The first end cap is substantially cylindrical in shape and preferably has a groove extending around its circumference in its side portion for receiving the first yoke. Preferably, the housing is provided with a first pair of slots and a second pair of slots that are aligned with the groove in the first end cap. Also, preferably, the first yoke has a substantially inverted U-shape and comprises a first pin having an end portion, a second pin having an end portion, and a bridge having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first pin being mounted on the first end portion of the bridge and extending therefrom, and the second pin being mounted on the second end portion of the bridge and extending therefrom parallel to the first pin. The first yoke secures the end cap to the housing by the first pin of the first yoke extending through the first pair of slots in the housing and tangentially across the side portion of the end cap in a portion of the groove of the first end cap and the second pin of the first yoke extending through the second pair of slots in the housing and tangentially across the side portion of the end cap in a portion of the groove in the first end cap.
A second end cap closes the second opening in the housing, and sealing means located between the second end cap and the housing of the pressure vessel seal between the second end cap and the housing.
Securing means secure the second end cap to the housing when desired, and the securing means include a second yoke extending between the housing and the second end cap. The second end cap is substantially cylindrical in shape and preferably has a groove extending around its circumference in its side portion for receiving the second yoke. Preferably, the housing is provided with a third pair of holes and a fourth pair of holes that are aligned with the groove in the second end cap. Also, preferably, the second yoke has a substantially inverted U-shape and comprises a first pin having an end portion, a second pin having an end portion, and a bridge having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first pin being mounted on the first end portion of the bridge and extending therefrom, and the second pin being mounted on the second end portion of the bridge and extending therefrom parallel to the first pin. The second yoke secures the second end cap to the housing by the first pin of the second yoke extending through the third pair of holes in the housing and tangentially across the side portion of the second end cap in a portion of the groove in the second end cap and the second pin of the second yoke extending through the fourth pair of holes in the housing and tangentially across the side portion of the second end cap.
Level compensating support means support the pressure vessel above a surface on which the purifier rests in a secure, non-wobbling manner. The level compensating support means includes a first ring that surrounds a portion of the outer surface portion of the pressure vessel and is in sliding contact with the outer surface portion of the pressure vessel. A first pair of feet extend from the first ring for supporting the pressure vessel above the surface on which the purifier rests. A second ring surrounds a portion of the outer surface portion of the pressure vessel, and a second pair of feet extends from the second ring for supporting the pressure vessel above the surface on which the purifier rests. The first ring may be rotated around the outer surface portion of the pressure vessel as needed to position the feet of the first ring such that all of the feet are in contact with the surface on which the purifier rests.
The first ring has a cut-out portion shaped to snugly receive the bridge of the first yoke, and the first ring has two recesses on its inside surface to receive the end portions of the first and second pins of the first yoke when the first yoke is securing the first end cap to the housing.
The second ring has a cut-out portion shape to snugly receive the bridge of the second yoke, and the second ring has two recesses on its inside surface to receive the end portions of the first and second pins of the second yoke when the second yoke is securing the second end cap to the housing.
Optionally, the second ring also is in sliding contact with the outer surface of the pressure vessel, and the holes of the third pair of holes and the fourth pair of holes are in the form of slots so that the first and second rings may be rotated around the outer surface portion of the pressure vessel as needed to position the feet such that all of the feet are in contact with the surface on which the purifier rests.
Optionally, the purifier includes by-pass means formed in the first end cap for causing the fluid to by-pass the purifying element as the fluid passes through the pressure vessel, when filtered/purified fluid is not desired. The by-pass means comprises a by-pass channel formed in the first end cap and extending from the interior of the pressure vessel to the outlet means of the pressure vessel downstream from the purifying element, and valve means for opening and closing the by-pass channel as desired.
Preferably, the inlet and outlet means are formed in the first end cap.
Optionally, the purifier includes mounting means located in the feet for mounting the purifier to a surface.
An inventive adapter is provided for adapting fluid fixture lines to feed fluid to be filtered/purified to a purifier and to feed filtered/purified fluid from the purifier to an outlet port in the fluid fixture lines, which includes a substantially hollow pipe having an inlet port at its first end portion and an outlet port at its second end portion. A partition wall is formed inside the pipe that prevents the flow of fluid directly through the pipe, and the partition wall divides the pipe into a first chamber formed in the first end portion of the pipe and a second chamber formed in the second end portion of the pipe.
A first barb, adapted to receive a hose, is connected to the first end portion of the pipe, and has an outlet passageway extending through it and communicating with the first chamber for feeding fluid to be filtered/purified to the purifier.
A second barb, adapted to receive a hose, is connected to the second end portion of the pipe, and has an inlet passageway extending through it and communicating with the second chamber for feeding filtered/purified fluid from the purifier to the second chamber.
First attachment means is provided on the first end portion of the pipe at the inlet port of the pipe for attaching the pipe to the fluid fixture line feeding the fluid to be filtered/purified to the first chamber of the pipe, and second attachment means is provided on the second end portion of the pipe at the outlet port of the pipe for attaching the pipe to the fluid fixture line leading to the outlet port of the fluid fixture line.